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Art and Entertainment
There is a certain degree of confusion and crossover between the arts and craftwork. Generally speaking, an occupation falls within the category of "arts and entertainment" if the product created is transitory in nature, or if a product is not actually created, but rather a performance merely witnessed. However, there are some permanent art forms such as literature, paintings, and sculpture. It's difficult (or perhaps impossible) to explain in absolute terms why some things are considered art and others handicrafts, but the most common explanation is that arts are not strictly necessary, but exist purely for pleasure or enlightenment. However, there are some handicrafts which may fit this definition; and even those things which are necessary may be created with a degree of artistry which renders the products more aesthetically pleasing than they need to be. Also, the subject of occupations refers to people who may produce more than one kind of products, some of which would be considered art and some handicrafts, but it is generally accepted that any given job must, on balance, fall under only one category, even if that job consists of different kinds of work. So, it's more about averages, one might say. Actor Actors are people who perform in plays, traditionally. However, since 912, there have been productions recorded on audio/visual bubbles, to be shown on bubble-screens long after the actual acting has been done. Architect Architects design buildings. Their designs are then built by carpenters, a job which falls under craftwork. The earliest architects were themselves carpenters who began to come up with new ideas for more advanced structures than had been built in the first two centuries or so of The Land's history. More complex structures required a certain understanding of scientific principles; however, the field of architecture falls under the heading of artistry, because in addition to understanding structural integrity, architects also usually attempt to make their designs as aesthetically pleasing as possible (and because the plans they draw up require an affinity for illustration). Athlete Athletes are people who play sports; however, this is not technically a job, but more a sort of performance. Athletes compete for their own enjoyment, but often also to entertain spectators. Thus far, the observation of sporting events has always been free, though there has been some talk in recent years of possibly charging admission, in which case athletics might eventually become a true job, rather than just a pastime. Bubblecaster This is a job which only came into existence in 912, after the introduction of bubble-screens and bubble-speakers. Bubblecasters (or BC's) are people who host audio or audio/visual broadcasts. The job has grown out of earlier fields such as "master of ceremonies" (though that itself was never a regular occupation), as well as journalists. Carver People who carve wood may be (or work with) carpenters, creating or detailing various objects such as buildings, cabinets, ships, etc; though the work of carvers is mainly ornamental in nature. It is more common to think of carvers as making wooden sculptures or smaller figures and such. They also make wood blocks for printing. Carving is often considered a handicraft (particularly when used in tool-making), though it is technically considered art. Chef This is a job which grew out of the older occupation of cook. Chefs are considered artists, unlike cooks, who are considered part of the service industry, because they have studied culinary arts to a greater degree than most cooks, and have learned to prepare more complex dishes. It is also typically chefs who create new recipes. Chefs are generally hired by expensive restaurants, and some go on to open their own restaurants, thereby becoming restaurateurs. Circus performer There are a number of jobs within a circus, including acrobats, clowns, animal trainers, magicians, etc. It is common for circus troupes to travel between villages, rather than continuously giving performances in one place. Dancer Dancing is an art which may be practiced, in a relatively simple way, by just about anyone. Some people study the art more extensively, and become more adept at it; however, it is rare for anyone to perform the art professionally in and of itself. Rather, many dancers may find work in acting troupes, circus troupes, large bands, etc. Designer Design is a broad term which can include such functions as architects, ship design, clothes design, print design, landscaping, etc. It may also include interior design, or the decorating of homes or businesses, as well as stages for acting productions (of plays or recordings). Illusionist Illusionists are people who perform magic tricks using "sleight of hand" and other skills to simulate magic. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with "magician," though on the Land (unlike Earth), this is inaccurate. The term "magician," while rarely used in its proper sense, technically refers to people who perform true magic; this includes Sorreters, sorcerers, witches and warlocks. Illusionists, unlike true magic-users, rarely perform their acts professionally, on their own. Much like dancers, they are often part of a larger troupe of performers, such as circus troupes. Illustrator Illustrators draw imagery for various print media, such as pictures within or on the covers of books, as well as graphic novels, magazines, and newspapers. (Such pictures will generally be passed on to carvers as a basis for the creation of woodblocks, which are then delivered to printers.) They may also do sketch art to sell independently, or may work for designers, architects, engineers, etc. Journalist Journalists are reporters who may work for newspapers or various types of magazines. Since 912, they may also work as bubblecasters on audio and/or visual news programs. The job is considered art in that it includes writing (and more recently a kind of public speaking), though unlike most writing or storytelling, the stories they tell are based in truth rather than fiction. As such, there is some question as to whether they can truly be considered artists. Some say it's more appropriate to think of them as entertainers, though this also seems inaccurate. At any rate, the profession doesn't seem to fit very well in any other category. Master of ceremonies A master of ceremonies (or MC) is someone who in some way takes charge of a public performance by a number of different artists or groups of artists. An MC may announce acts such as athletics, music, dance, acting, circuses, talent competitions, political debates, bubblecasts, etc. (The MC of a circus is called a ringmaster.) Musician Musicians include singers as well as instrumentalists, whether individuals or members of a band. The term can also be applied to minstrels, though this occupation technically combines the performance of music with storytelling. Painter This generally refers to artists who paint pictures, though it can also be applied to people who paint buildings, ships, handicrafts, etc. This was first done in the early 150s, after the discovery of striders, as hair from their tails was used to create the Land's first paint brushes. Sculptor Sculptors create sculptures from clay, stone, wood, or metal, for purely artistic reasons. However, it's rare to make a living off this type of sculpture, so many sculptors also engage in craftwork. Storyteller Storytellers are people who tell stories in public rather than writing them down, though some do later get publishing deals. Some storytellers also perform music, and are thus referred to as minstrels. Since 912, some storytellers have found work in audio bubblecasts, doing voice-only acting. The earliest storytellers on the Land, in the first two centuries, are largely responsible for creating the stories that came to comprise the genre known as Märchen, though storytellers may tell stories of any genre. Writer Writers may work in a number of fields. There are playwrights, who write plays (many of them have regular jobs with acting troupes). There are writers of books or graphic novels. There are lyricists, who write lyrics for songs (though it is more common to be a songwriter, which means writing both words and music for songs). There are journalists, who write news articles for magazines or newspapers. More recently there are also screenwriters, who write plays which are to be recorded for playback on bubble-screens (though the term can also be applied to people who write audio-only dramas for bubble-speakers, also known as "radio"). See also *List of jobs *List of musical genres Category:Culture